by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois” ranking.
Special Education is the 29th most popular major in the country with 35,973 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. In , special education graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $45,680 and had an average of $27,516 in loans still to pay off.
Across Illinois, there were 1,088 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $47,433 and $24,603 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 536 special education graduates with average earnings and debt of $59,827 and $47,424 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois” ranking analyzed 28 colleges that offered a degree in special education. That schools that top this list have a program in special education in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
The special ed school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois”.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend National Louis University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 84 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dominican University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois list. Dominican U is a private not-for-profit institution located in River Forest, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 34 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Trinity Christian College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois. Trinity Christian is a private not-for-profit institution located in Palos Heights, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Greenville University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois. Greenville is located in Greenville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 28 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Aurora University landed the #5 spot on the list. Aurora University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Aurora, Illinois. It awarded 27 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Concordia University, Chicago landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking. Concordia University, Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in River Forest, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 34 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Special Education at Concordia University, Chicago
Chicago State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 17 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Special Education at Chicago State University
With a ranking of #8, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois list. This fairly large school is located in Dekalb, Illinois, and it awarded 49 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Saint Xavier University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #9. Saint Xavier University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 30 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Northeastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #10. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 56 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Special Education at Northeastern Illinois University
Lewis University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking. Lewis University is a medium-sized school located in Romeoville, Illinois that handed out 22 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Rockford University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking. This small school is located in Rockford, Illinois, and it awarded 3 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 34 students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
DePaul University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking. DePaul University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 50 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Eastern Illinois University ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois list. Eastern Illinois University is located in Charleston, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 14 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Roosevelt University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #16. Roosevelt is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 12 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Western Illinois University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking. Macomb, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 7 students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Illinois State University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking. Illinois State University is a large school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 34 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Elmhurst University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois list. Elmhurst University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Elmhurst, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified masters’s special ed students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of St Francis came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking. Joliet, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 3 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Special Education at University of St Francis
Governors State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #22. Governors State University is a small public school situated in University Park, Illinois. It awarded 0 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Special Education at Governors State University
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 6 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #24. SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 37 masters’s special ed degrees to qualified students.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Special Education at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
With a ranking of #24, Benedictine University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois list. Lisle, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 4 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Loyola University Chicago landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s special ed degrees to 15 students in 2021-2022.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Special Education at Loyola University Chicago
Northwestern University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #24. Northwestern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 0 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 99%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Bradley University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Special Ed Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #24. This medium-sized school is located in Peoria, Illinois, and it awarded 8 masters’s special ed degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
